The Basics
Founded in 1989 by clinicians Vincent Casolaro and Robert Smith, Inter-Care is a comprehensive outpatient program with two locations—one in midtown Manhattan and the other in Westchester County, just north of New York City. The program aims to not only help alcoholics and addicts get sober, but also to empower them with the motivation, support and skills necessary to deal with the challenges of day-to-day living. With more than twenty years of community support, clients have access to evidence-based treatment using traditional therapeutic methods.
Inter-Care’s Executive and Clinical Director is Nicholas Lessa (MA, LMSW and CASAC), a professor in the social work programs of both New York University and Adelphi University. Lessa’s credentials also include two books on substance use disorders: Concise Guide to Mental Health: Substance Use Disorders and Living with Alcoholism and Drug Addiction: The Teen Edition.
Treatment and Staff
Treatment plans at Inter-Care are customized for each individual according to their needs. An extensive assessment interview is completed before clients start treatment, and from this interview a specific treatment plan is crafted.
There are four tracks of treatment at Inter-Care:
An eight-week Motivational and Early Intervention Service is designed for those who don’t meet the criteria for a full-fledged substance abuse disorder but have engaged in risky behaviors and suffered consequences from their drinking and using. The main strategies used in this program are Motivational Interviewing (MI) and classes that boost awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is a two-phase program that includes individual and group therapy, psycho-education, Motivational Interviewing (MI), CBT, DBT, EMDR, 12-step principles and SMART Recovery and treatment with a physician who specializes in addiction medicine. Phase one requires three to six visits a week for four to six weeks. Clients who move on to phase two attend sessions two times a week for 12 weeks. After clients complete the program they continue getting treatment in an advanced program and typically join the facility’s alumni center. Sessions are available in both daytime and evening.
Extras
Inter-Care offers online treatment on its own or in conjunction with in-person sessions. For those who cannot attend groups in person, clients can participate in individual and group counseling with live—and encrypted—video conferences. Through a partnership with Chat2Recovery.com, professional cyber-facilitators with training in online therapy conduct these sessions as well as therapeutic online chats and emails.
Family programming is a big part of treatment here. The facility offers family education, support groups and individual counseling for family members and significant others in order to encourage the family’s participation in the recovery process. Groups are geared toward helping family members and significant others understand and accept addiction and work on communication skills with addicts and alcoholics.
Additionally, Inter-Care has an on-going aftercare meeting each week which clients can attend indefinitely. It also has an Alumni Outreach Committee that plans parties and special events for alumni. The Inter-Care Foundation is an affiliated non-profit that provides treatment scholarships for those who are unable to pay treatment fees.
In Summary
Inter-Care is a solid choice for addicts and alcoholics who require only outpatient therapy and want to explore different treatment therapies. The basic outpatient and IOP services use many well-tested evidence-based modalities to create a solid recovery foundation. Its peer support group requirements and commitment to fostering a vital alumni network ensure that clients will have significant sober support upon completing their program. With two branches and a well-credentialed and experienced staff, clients are set up with a promising start to long-term recovery.
Though the efficacy of online addiction treatment is yet to be seen, the combination of in-person and web treatment could certainly give those who need it an extra boost.
Inter-Care
51 East 25th St, Lower Level
New York, NY 10010
Sponsored DISCLAIMER: This is a paid advertisement for California Behavioral Health, LLC, a CA licensed substance abuse treatment provider and not a service provided by The Fix. Calls to this number are answered by CBH, free and without obligation to the consumer. No one who answers the call receives a fee based upon the consumer’s choice to enter treatment. For additional info on other treatment providers and options visit www.samhsa.gov.
